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Kenya U20 were thrashed at the just-concluded World Rugby U20 Trophy and their coach feels a lot needs to change for them to post positive results
Kenya U20 head coach Curtis Olago has called on Kenya Rugby Union to ensure the youngsters begin early preparations if they have to avoid poor performances in future tournaments.
The Kenyan side, popularly known as Chipu, were systematically taken apart by bitter rivals Zimbabwe in the fifth place playoff match of the 2023 World Rugby U20 Trophy last weekend, losing 64-10 to the Junior Sables, much to the aghast of a packed Kenyan crowd at the Nyayo National Stadium.
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13:07 - 31.07.2023
RUGBY Chipu's dreams stagnate in World Rugby U20 Championship/Trophy joint standings
France reigns supreme as Kenya's Chipu struggles in the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy season.
Olago has challenged KRU to enable future developmental sides to prepare early for tournaments of this magnitude, adding that Kenya must learn quickly from the experience of the 2023 tournament.
“To play a tournament of this magnitude, you have to prepare well, it is not a case of preparing for two or three weeks only,” Olago said.
“This is a tournament where you have to prepare well. The selection process has to have tracking and structure. It is good that we participated and from there, we have to pick it up. We now know how hard we have to work.”
Olago has slammed the previous regime for failing to take developmental rugby ‘seriously’ but expressed optimism the new board chaired by Alexander ‘Sasha’ Mutai will place a keener emphasis on youth development.
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05:00 - 31.07.2023
RUGBY Rugby Africa president on how the continent can bridge widening gap in the sport
He noted that the committee has started with reviewing the constitution before doing anything else.
“The chairman is on top of things. This problem is probably carried out from the previous regime which did not take developmental rugby seriously but I believe the new regime is working towards it. There will be progress,” he added.
The KCB coach says that future development sides should take part in more friendly matches in order to prepare them early for big assignments.
“Early preparations. Let us put in more resources and take part in a few (invitational) competitions (and friendlies) before such tournaments . We did not take part in any friendly matches before the tournament started. Our first competition was Samoa," said Olago.
“We can only take too much power. You can see the kind of physicality we faced. We could not match it, which was a problem. We must prepare better.
“With that preparation, we finished sixth out of eight teams. We are not very far. We just need one or two years of good tracking work and good preparation, then we will be there. We need to start early next year. We still have a shot, we will go again next year but we need to start early.”
13:07 - 31.07.2023
RUGBY Chipu's dreams stagnate in World Rugby U20 Championship/Trophy joint standings
France reigns supreme as Kenya's Chipu struggles in the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy season.
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